NHL Trade Breakdown: Canadiens Make Two Big Moves

What Just Happened?

The Montreal Canadiens made two trades recently, sending two players to new teams. Let’s break down what happened in simple terms.

Trade #1: Brendan Gallagher Heads to Vancouver

Who is Brendan Gallagher?

Brendan Gallagher is a hockey player who spent his entire 14-season career with the Montreal Canadiens. He was a fan favorite — the kind of player everyone loved watching because of his toughness, heart, and never-give-up attitude on the ice.

Here are some quick facts about him:

• Age: 34 years old
• Height: 5-foot-9 (not the tallest player, but he played like a giant!)
• Position: Winger (a forward who plays on the sides)
• Drafted: 147th overall by Montreal in the 2010 NHL Draft
• Career stats: 246 goals and 487 points in 911 games
• Best season: 2017-18, when he scored a career-high 54 points
• Achievements: Helped lead Montreal to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2016 World Hockey Championship

What Happened This Season?

This past season was a tough one for Gallagher:

• He scored 7 goals and 23 points in 77 games
• He added 1 goal in 3 playoff games before Montreal was eliminated in the Eastern Conference Final
• His ice time dropped to a career low of 12 minutes and 21 seconds per game
• For the first time since January 2013 (his rookie year), he was healthy scratched on March 14 — meaning he was healthy enough to play but the coaches chose not to put him in the lineup

The Trade Details

The Canadiens traded Gallagher to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for "future considerations."

What does "future considerations" mean?
This is a fancy way of saying the Canadiens will get something later — maybe a player, a draft pick, or cash. It’s not decided yet, but something will come Montreal’s way down the road.

The Salary Cap Part (Important!)

Here’s where it gets a little tricky, so let’s explain it simply:

• Gallagher is entering the final year of his six-year, $39 million contract
• His cap hit (the amount that counts against the team’s salary budget) is $6.5 million per year
• The Canadiens agreed to retain 50% of that cap hit
• This means Montreal will still pay $3.25 million of his salary even though he’s playing for Vancouver

Why would Montreal do this?
Teams sometimes keep part of a player’s salary to make a trade work. It helps the team getting the player (Vancouver) fit them under their salary cap. It’s like Montreal is helping pay the bill to get the deal done.

What Vancouver’s GM Said

Vancouver’s General Manager, Ryan Johnson, had great things to say about Gallagher:

"Brendan is a quality individual and a very good hockey player. We love the way he competes and leads by example. Bringing in veterans like Brendan will help us set the standard for our younger guys to follow. We are excited to add someone who has ties to the Lower Mainland, wants to be here with the Canucks, and knows firsthand how passionate and knowledgeable our hockey market is in Vancouver. This is an important acquisition for our hockey club."

In plain English: Vancouver is thrilled to get a tough, experienced player who can be a role model for their younger players.

Trade #2: Joshua Roy Goes to Utah

Who is Joshua Roy?

Joshua Roy is a 22-year-old winger from Saint-Georges-De-Beauce, Quebec. He’s a young, up-and-coming player with a lot of potential.

Here’s what you need to know about him:

• Drafted: Fifth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by Montreal
• NHL experience: 38 games over three seasons, with 6 goals and 5 assists
• AHL stats (last season): 23 goals and 22 assists in 57 games with the Laval Rocket
• AHL All-Star: Named an AHL All-Star in 2025
• International success: Won back-to-back gold medals at the World Junior Championships in 2022 and 2023, scoring 8 goals and 11 assists in 14 games total

The Trade Details

Montreal traded Roy to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for defenseman Maksymilian Szuber.

Who is Maksymilian Szuber?

Here’s the scoop on the player Montreal got in return:

• Age: 23 years old
• From: Opole, Poland
• Drafted: Sixth round in 2022
• NHL experience: Just 1 game (during the 2023-24 season)
• AHL stats (last season): 11 goals and 16 assists in 65 games with the Tucson Roadrunners

Important Note About Both Players

Both Roy and Szuber are set to become Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) on Wednesday. This means their current teams have the right to match any offer they get from other teams. It’s a special status for younger players who haven’t been in the league very long.

Summary

Here’s a quick recap of everything that happened:

1. Brendan Gallagher (34-year-old veteran winger) was traded from Montreal to Vancouver for future considerations. Montreal will keep paying 50% of his $6.5 million cap hit.

2. Joshua Roy (22-year-old young winger) was traded from Montreal to Utah in exchange for defenseman Maksymilian Szuber.

3. Both Roy and Szuber are about to become Restricted Free Agents, which adds an interesting twist to the deal.

4. Gallagher leaves Montreal as the longest-serving Canadien, having played all 14 seasons of his NHL career there. He was beloved by fans for his grit and determination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why would Montreal trade Brendan Gallagher after 14 seasons?
A: Gallagher is 34 years old and his production has declined. His ice time dropped to a career low this season, and he was even healthy scratched for the first time in over a decade. Montreal is likely looking to rebuild and give younger players more opportunities.

Q: What does "retaining 50% of the cap hit" mean in simple terms?
A: Even though Gallagher now plays for Vancouver, Montreal will still pay half of his salary ($3.25 million). This is a common practice in the NHL to help trades happen — it makes it easier for the new team to afford the player.

Q: Who is the better player — Joshua Roy or Maksymilian Szuber?
A: It’s hard to say right now because both are young and still developing. Roy has shown more offensive talent (AHL All-Star, gold medals at the World Juniors), while Szuber is a defenseman with less NHL experience. Only time will tell who benefits more from this trade.

Q: What is a Restricted Free Agent (RFA)?
A: An RFA is a player whose contract has expired, but their original team has the right to keep them by matching any offer from another team. It gives the original team an advantage in keeping their young talent.

Q: Did Brendan Gallagher win a Stanley Cup?
A: No, he didn’t. He helped lead the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, but they didn’t win the championship. He did, however, win a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2016 World Hockey Championship.